This invention pertains to the use of a certain dithiazine to alter, modify or enhance the flavor and aroma of a foodstuff having a bacon or caramel or roasted meat or roasted nut or fowl flavor and aroma.
There is a continuing search for compositions which can vary, fortify, modify, enhance or otherwise improve (i.e., alter) the flavor and aroma of a foodstuff. To be fully satisfactory, such compositions should be stable, non-toxic and blendable with other ingredients to provide their own unique flavor and aroma nuance without detracting from the co-ingredients. Preferably, such compositions should be naturally occurring or present in natural foodstuffs (although unrecognized as flavor components thereof) so that their ingestible safety can be readily recognized. Additionally, these materials should be capable of being synthesized in a simple and economic manner.
Ingredients for foodstuff flavors having aromas and tastes which are compatible from an esthetic standpoint and from a chemical standpoint with meats and meat flavors are particularly desirable. More specifically, roasted, fried and fried bacon and caramel-like (with roasted and burnt nuances) aroma and flavor characteristics are particularly useful for bacon flavors and caramel flavors. In addition, they are useful for roasted meat, roasted nut and fowl (e.g., chicken and duck) foodstuff flavors and to augment and enhance such flavors.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,966,988 discloses the use of a small but effective amount of a compound represented by the formula: ##STR2## wherein R.sub.1, R.sub.3 and R.sub.5 are the same and are lower alkyl of from 1 to 5 carbon atoms, R.sub.2, R.sub.4, and R.sub.6 are hydrogen and R.sub.7 is hydrogen or lower alkyl of from 1 to 5 carbon atoms; is used to alter, modify or enhance the flavor and aroma characteristics of foodstuffs, perfumes and perfumed articles. Specifically disclosed and exemplified is the compound 2,4,6-trimethyldihydro-1,3,5-dithiazine. This compound is also specifically characterized. In addition, however, the compound 2,4,6-tri-isobutyl-dihydro-1,3,5-dithiazine is disclosed but is not specifically characterized in said U.S. Pat. No. 3,966,988. Nor is the pure crystalline form of said 2,4,6-tri-isobutyldihydro-1,3,5-dithiazine disclosed therein.
A bacon flavor is indicated to be prepared according to U.S. Pat. No. 3,650,771 issued on Mar. 21, 1972. In said U.S. Pat. No. 3,650,771 the reaction product of 2-aminoethanol hydrosulfide and isovaleraldehyde is indicated to give a strong crisp bacon product when said 2-aminoethanol hydrosulfide and isovaleraldehyde are mixed together and heated over a temperature of 70.degree.-80.degree. C. for a period of about five minutes. It is noteworthy that the bacon flavor and aroma of the compound having the structure: ##STR3## is surprisingly intense and longer lasting than is the bacon flavor and aroma of any of the reaction products of U.S. Pat. No. 3,650,771, particularly the reaction product of 2-aminoethanol hydrosulfide and isovaleraldehyde. On the other hand, the compound having the structure: ##STR4## can be either (i) extracted by means of high pressure liquid chromatography or (ii) isolated by means of acidification followed by crystallization, neutralization and recrystallization from the reaction mixture resulting from the reaction of ammonium hydrosulfide with isovaleraldehyde or resulting from the reaction of the shiff base of ammonia and isovaleraldehyde with hydrogen sulfide or resulting from the reaction of ammonium sulfide with isovaleraldehyde in the presence of citric acid and water.
The compound having the structure: ##STR5## is specifically disclosed by Beilstein at Vol. I-V-27 (4) wherein it is indicated to have the common name "Valeraldin" and can be synthesized by reacting ammonia with thioisovaleraldehyde.
No mention is made of any of the prior art including the Beilstein reference and U.S. Pat. No. 3,966,988 issued on June 29, 1976 of the existence of pure crystalline or substantially pure 2,4,6-tri-isobutyl-dihydro-1,3,5-dithiazine or the use thereof as a bacon flavor ingredient or a caramel flavor ingredient for its enhancement, imparting or augmenting properties.